Southern California -- this just in

Bell councilman punched in the head during family dispute

June 5, 2012 | 5:07
pm

Bell Councilman Nestor Valencia was injured when he was punched in the head after he said he tried to intervene in a family dispute.

Police said they arrested 30-year-old Marco Cardenas in the Sunday night dispute and booked him at Los Angeles County Jail on suspicion of battery, making terrorist threats and disobeying a court order. Cardenas was held on $50,000 bail.

Bell Police Chief Steve Belcher said he could not provide details because the district attorney’s office has not decided whether to file charges.

According to Valencia, who was elected as a reformist after former council members were arrested in a public corruption case, neighbors of Cardenas’ parents called him Sunday saying there was trouble at the house, but they didn’t want to summon police.

The councilman said the neighbors told him that Cardenas had roughed them up, and they were scratched and their shirts were torn.

Valencia said he went to the house in the 6900 block of Fishburn Avenue shortly before 10 p.m.. and that the suspect “ran after us and he lunged for the mom and dad, and I got in the way, and he got me,” Valencia said.

“It was like a hockey blow without my face mask.”

Valencia said the punch knocked his hat off, but he didn’t seek medical attention.